BOISE, Idaho – Thirty-four employees from
the HVAC Shop at the University of Utah became the largest group ever to split
a $1,000,000 prize from the Idaho Lottery today when they claimed a winning
Powerball ticket from last Saturday evening.

The
group has been playing regularly since February 2001, each pitching in $10
every few weeks. They won playing a set of numbers from the original tickets
they first purchased 12 years ago.The
winning ticket was sold at the Pilot Travel Center in McCammon,
Idaho, located in Bannock County.The
ticket was purchased on behalf of the group by Steve Hughes.

“I
was headed back to I-15 and needed to get some gas,” explained Hughes. “After I
was done, my dog Stella locked me out.I
was there for 45 minutes trying to get into my truck. I decided to buy my
tickets there and it turned out to be the $1,000,000 winner!”

The
group chartered a “fun bus” to bring them collectively from the parking lot of
Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City to Idaho
Lottery offices in Boise.The contingent
collected their winnings while chanting “Go Utes” and a chorus of “Utah
Man!”Many in the group from the HVAC
Shop are long time employees of the University of Utah, some working on campus
facilities for over 30 years.

According
to Hughes, most in the group already have plans for their winnings including
outdoor sportsman equipment like ATV’s, fishing gear, or new trucks.Each member of the group received
$19,875.The Idaho Lottery also offered
each winner a souvenir frame for their winner’s photo. The frames come in their
choice of either blue or red.Not too
surprisingly, all of the winners selected red frames.

For
their part in selling the winning ticket, Pilot Travel Centers receives a bonus
from the Idaho Lottery of $20,000.

PHOTOS
OF THE GROUP ARE AVAILABLE

PHOTO
OF STELLA IS ALSO AVAILABLE

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ABOUT THE
IDAHO LOTTERY

The
Idaho Lottery responsibly provides a variety of entertaining games featuring
Powerball, Mega Millions, Scratch GamesTM,
and PullTabs with a high degree of integrity to
maximize the dividend for Idaho public schools and the permanent building fund.
Since their inception in 1989, the Idaho Lottery has sold over $2.3 billion in
products, awarded over $1.3 billion in prizes to players, returned more than
$136.5 million in retail commissions, and distributed $552.3 million in Lottery
dividends to Idaho public schools and the Permanent Building Fund. To learn
more, please visit www.idaholottery.com.